I get a big kick out o' t' challenge o' makin' rockets from "found objects". Avast, me proud beauty! I tend t' walk through stores in a kind o' a daze sometimes, wonderin' what sort o' adapter or how much thrust it will take t' "fly" certain objects on t' store shelves. Avast! This is one o' me recent attempts. Everythin' is found or made from scratch except t' engine mount tube, centerin' ring, shiver me timbers, and thrust rin' in t' "nose cone" (launch lug was hand-rolled).

This be t' completed rocket next t' an 18mm engine casing

A shot with t' nose cone off...

Showin' t' streamer...

And with t' streamer folded and packed into place.

T' egg gives interestin' and fun flights from 200-300 feet. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' streamer recovery can brin' t' rocket down a bit fast, ya bilge rat, me bucko, esp. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! if it lands on concrete, so t' construction needs t' be robust (either that or you need t' take a big bottle o' CA glue t' t' range). Aye aye! Blimey! Short delays work best as this thin' has enough drag that it stops goin' up when t' engine gives out.

Engines I've flown it on: first flight was on an A8-3. Aye aye! Just wanted t' make sure it would fly. Blimey! Then followed with B6- and C6-3 engines. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' B engines really scoot off t' pad, arrr, but I think t' egg goes higher on a C. Ya scallywag! Be sure t' tape t' engine because this is a serious dart if t' engine is spit out rather than t' streamer.

Parts List: Plastic Easter Egg (mine is about 3" long by about 1 3/4 dia.), shiver me timbers, engine mount tube and thrust ring, me bucko, paper centerin' ring, me bucko, external couplin' tube, 1/8" plexiglass (fins), ya bilge rat, launch lug, arrr, and streamer. Ahoy! T' engine mount, matey, centerin' ring, ya bilge rat, and green external coupler tube came from an Estes parts kit (engine mount kit?). Arrr! Fins are 1 1/2" wide at t' root, and have a span o' 2" long. I just guessed at t' curve aroung t' egg and sanded until they fit. Well, blow me down! Begad! They are swept at about 30 degrees.

Construction note: t' front half o' t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, forward o' t' thrust rin' is filled with epoxy (you can see t' rin' left in t' first picture where t' epoxy heated and slightly melted t' nosecone as it cured. Begad! This was done for several reasons. Blimey! First t' mount t' green couplin' ring. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Since t' area forward o' t' engine be so small, I thought that somethin' be needed here t' prevent t' rocket from splittin' rather than seperatin' at t' seam. Well, blow me down! Second, arrr, it adds strength in case it lands on t' tip o' t' nose. Ahoy! And third, t' add weight t' move t' CG forward. Ya scallywag! T' lips where t' two halves snap together need t' be sanded down so they pop apart easily.

any questions or comments? mail to: major@tensor.nssl.noaa.gov